Fresh palette

Hallelujah! I just saw some bright green little buds on the tree in my backyard! It's one of my favorite things: the beginning of spring.

Charlestonians love to celebrate any chance we can get, so this weekend is going to be filled with beautiful things.

Of course, there will be the massive gastronomic celebration with the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, but we don't like to stop our "spring awakening" there.

Make sure you satisfy all of your senses and give your eyes something to light up about as well.

After all, the French Quarter Gallery Association put some thought into the decision to have the first art walk of the season on the first Friday of March.

Unless otherwise noted, most of the art openings in the French Quarter will be 5-8 p.m. Friday and are free and open to the public.

What better way to celebrate the beginning of spring than with great art, food and wine?

Madame Lambert

Artist Hilarie Lambert visits Paris on a regular basis because her daughter and son-in-law live there. And, well, the fact that she's an artist and Paris is just a tad inspirational also might have something to do with it.

Her latest trip to Paris was particularly special as she was able to be there for the birth of her granddaughter, Stella.

"I rented a small apartment and set up my studio in it, and I would visit with the family in the morning, and then take long walks before going back to my apartment to paint," she said. "Since I had limited access to Internet and the TV is in French, I painted quite a bit."

Lambert was inspired by the fresh little bundle in her life as well as the life of Paris in general.

Her new show, "Ooh La La," features everyday Parisian scenes, street vendors, jazz musicians and tourists, in both large- and small-format paintings.

See them at a preview event 6-8 p.m. tonight at her upstairs studio-gallery, 55 Broad St. Visit www.hlambert.com.

'Cinnamonworld'

There are many facets to Kenton James, and this is very clearly seen in his latest collection of layered paintings called "Cinnamonworld," showing at Scoop studios, 57 Broad St., in March.

This collection is done in black-and-white oil paintings.

These are reminiscent of vintage sepia-toned photos that were exposed, one on top of another, in an old darkroom, where the end product is a mixture of emotions and images that seem unrelated but really are relevant to one another. It's an interesting world.

Gallery owner Colleen Deihl says "the chaos and the surge of modern American life are captured in layered images. Using multiple exposure composition, each piece literally blends different narratives of people from mundane to alluring moments."

Call 577-3292 or visit www.scoopcontemporary.com.

Paula Rubino

The majority of the painters featured at Ann Long Fine Art, 54 Broad St., have studied at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy.

American painter Paula Rubino was classically trained at this school, which teaches students the techniques of the Old Masters.

She also has studied with famed Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum, which has influenced her work in a very unique direction.

Born in Trenton, N.J., in 1968 and raised in Florida, Rubino has since lived and worked in Mexico, Italy and Finland. Her most recent body of work includes paintings developed in Finland and Florida.

She will have her third solo show at Ann Long Fine Art on Friday. It's one worth checking out.

Call 577-0447 or visit www.annlongfineart.com.

'A Riff on Nests'

"A Riff on Nests" is Joe Walters' first show in Charleston in many years.

His newest collection of sculpture and works on paper will be on display at the Corrigan Gallery in March.

"Walters' works come from his observation of the natural world. He manipulates 'unorthodox materials' to create his interpretation of objects and to 'freeze them in an instant,' said gallery owner Lese Corrigan.

"Using polymer clay, steel, glue, sand, paint and wire, the crusty surfaces of Walters' sculptures mimic metal corroded with age arrested at a point of interest," Corrigan said.

Many of his works are inspired by, and speak to, human beings' interaction with nature. Even his works on paper mimic the rust colored look of his sculptures.

Call 722-9868 or visit www.corrigangallery.com.

Crosby landscapes

In his new "Landscape Strokes and Gestures" exhibit showing at the Martin Gallery, William Crosby said he starts the canvas with a horizon line, and broad, quick strokes and gestures that are often applied on a very fluid canvas.

"Slowly, and at other times rapidly, the composition is gone into, developed, changed or eliminated," he said. "Many layers are created from washes and semi-transparent areas to layers of dense and opaque paint. I use both artist brushes and larger house painting brushes," he said.

Martin Gallery is at 18 Broad St. Call 723-7378 or visit www.martingallerycharleston.com.